The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to 76 persons arrested during the  #EndBadGovernance protests that took place nationwide in August 2024.
Seventy-five suspects, aged between twelve and fifteen years of age, were brought by the Police before Justice Obiora Egwuatu on a 10-count charge in relation to their participation in the protest.
On Friday, Justice Egwuatu presided over the proceedings and set bail for each defendant at ₦10 million.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu mandated that each protester provide two sureties, each for the same amount.
One of these sureties must be a civil servant holding a grade level of 15 or higher, who also has a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction. The second surety is required to be a parent of the protester.
Earlier reports indicated that the Nigerian government had temporarily dropped charges against five minors facing trial for their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protests after they collapsed in the courtroom.
These minors had been in custody for several weeks and exhibited clear signs of poor health, which worsened during the court session, necessitating urgent medical attention.
Eyewitness accounts described the situation as distressing, with some lawyers rushing to aid the young individuals who collapsed after being summoned to the dock.
In response to this incident, the prosecution sought the temporary withdrawal of charges, a request that was granted by the court, noting that the minors would be re-arraigned once their health improved.
“A couple of them fainted inside the courtroom because of maltreatment, they have not eaten for some days,” a source told SaharaReporters, accusing authorities of using hunger as a means of torture against the protesters for exercising their constitutional rights.
One malnourished minor was the first to collapse, followed by four others who also fell to the courtroom floor.
The courtroom descended into chaos as the primarily minor defendants were asked to step into the dock.
Some lawyers and court officials quickly administered aid to the minors before they were taken to the hospital, causing court proceedings to be temporarily suspended.
Following this episode, the prosecution invoked the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to request the withdrawal of charges against the minors on health grounds.
Defence attorney Abubakar Marshal argued that the minors should be returned to their parents.